Campaign for reservation in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council

DNIS News Network - Disabled activists in Andhra Pradesh
are campaigning for 3% reservation for disabled persons in the State Legislative
Council.

Disabled people in Andhra Pradesh are campaigning to achieve 3% representation
in the State Legislative Council, which awaits the clearance of its bill from
the Parliament. Out of the 90 seats, which make up the Legislative Council,
six will be nominated by the State Governor. Disabled activists are campaigning
two or three seats out of the six to be given to eminent disabled people.

The Congress manifesto for Andhra Pradesh, in 2004, promised the setting up
of a Legislative Council for the State. The bill for the formation of this Council
has been presented in Parliament and is awaiting clearance. Disabled people
have never before had any representation in the state of Andhra Pradesh and
are hoping that their campaigning will not go in vain. According to Mr Srinivasalu,
Network of Persons with disability Organisations (N.P.d.O.), Andhra Pradesh
Partner of National Disability Network (N.D.N.), the campaign was launched on
9 April, 2005, and 40,000 postcards have already been distributed since then.